From Ancient Origins to Artistic Expression

China’s extensive coastline, rivers, and lakes have fostered an abundance of fish species, making aquatic life a natural subject for artistic expression. Archaeological discoveries reveal that fish motifs appeared as early as the Neolithic period. At the Banpo Village site in Xi’an, dating back to 4000–5000 BCE, a painted pottery basin adorned with lively black fish designs was unearthed, showcasing the motif’s ancient roots.

By the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE), bronze vessels from royal tombs in Anyang frequently featured intricate fish patterns as central decorations. The subsequent Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE) saw the proliferation of delicate jade fish pendants, often worn by nobility. These small, blade-tailed jade carvings may have doubled as cutting tools, blending utility with artistry.

The Evolution of Fish Symbolism in Early Dynasties

During the Spring and Autumn Period (771–476 BCE), fish-shaped jade ornaments became part of ceremonial pendant sets, some later evolving into dragon motifs—a transition that likely inspired the myth of fish transforming into dragons. By the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), fish imagery permeated daily life. Bronze mirrors inscribed with auspicious phrases often paired their messages with twin fish, a visual pun on the word yu (余, “abundance”), symbolizing prosperity.

Household items—from washbasins cast in the southwestern Zhuoti and Tanglang regions to sewing irons, lamps, and wine cups—routinely bore fish designs. Large hollow bricks used in aristocratic tombs across Shaanxi and Henan also featured paired fish patterns, while silk textiles and personal seals adopted the motif. The cultural resonance of “abundance” reflected agrarian society’s aspirations, a theme philosopher Zhuang Zhou poetically echoed in his writings on fish thriving in water.

Tang and Song Innovations: From Practicality to Political Metaphor

The Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) repurposed fish imagery for practical and bureaucratic uses. Gilded bronze locks, shaped as vigilant “fish keys” (yuyue), drew on the belief that fish never close their eyes, deterring theft. Meanwhile, government officials carried split bronze “fish tallies” (yufu) as credentials, reuniting the halves to verify appointments—a system retained into the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE).

Tang-era imperial examinations birthed the “carp leaping over the Dragon Gate” allegory, comparing scholarly success to a fish’s mythical ascent. This metaphor endured in folk art, particularly embroidery, as social mobility became a cultural ideal.

Golden Ages of Ceramics and Textiles

Song Dynasty artisans elevated fish motifs in ceramics. Longquan’s celadon plates revived Han-era twin-fish designs, while Jingdezhen’s yingqing ware and Dingzhou’s white porcelain expanded their use. Fish paired with lotus (inspired by the Ballad of Gathering Lotuses) adorned pillows, evoking marital harmony. Realist painters like Liu Cai captured aquatic grace, influencing later masters from Bada Shanren to Qi Baishi.

Silk weavers crafted “fish-and-waterweed brocade” (yuzao jin), later used for imperial edicts. Lantern festivals featured fish-shaped lights, and goldfish breeding emerged in Hangzhou—a practice that would flourish in later centuries.

Ming and Qing: Opulence and Cultural Pervasiveness

The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 CE) saw “flying fish” motifs (feiyu fu) restricted to high-ranking officials’ robes. Jingdezhen’s polychrome porcelain embraced red fish designs, while imperial “dragon vats” doubled as goldfish basins. Beijing’s Jinyu Pond became a royal breeding site, though surviving period artworks rarely depict the era’s exotic varieties.

By the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912 CE), porcelain fish motifs reached unparalleled refinement, often featuring gui fish (symbolizing wealth) in groups of three or five for wordplay on “surplus.” Glass fishbowls entered elite homes, and embroidery incorporated double-fish designs resembling the qing chime—a pun for “auspicious abundance” (jiqing youyu).

Goldfish: A Cultural Obsession

Goldfish breeding exploded during the Ming, with literati like Wen Zhenheng cataloging varieties from “cinnabar red” to “honeycomb-patterned.” By the 19th century, virtuoso painters like monk-artist Xugu immortalized fantailed specimens, while textiles, cloisonné, and even silver-pouches adopted fish themes. Regional breeding practices diverged: southerners used outdoor stone tanks shaded by miniature landscapes, while northerners displayed indoor porcelain or glass bowls—a detail immortalized in Dream of the Red Chamber.

Legacy: Fish as Living Art

Today, goldfish remain embedded in Chinese visual culture, from temple fairs to children’s watercolor sets. The humble fish—once a token of harvest hopes—swims through millennia as a testament to art’s power to transform nature into enduring symbols of joy and prosperity.